Where will we finish?

[hawkeye]

so a weaker squad than we had last season is going to finish higher? we are set up for another few end of season months of drama, i think the bottom 10 places will be as fiercely contested as last season and we will be in that contest

[Irish villain]

so a weaker squad than we had last season is going to finish higher? we are set up for another few end of season months of drama, i think the bottom 10 places will be as fiercely contested as last season and we will be in that contest

A vailid point. However, last season the new manager managed to turn one of the league's meanest defences into one of the worst, antagonised many of our senior players and insulted the club and its fans numerous times.

There seems to be an air of stability about the place now which in itself could be worth a few points as will keeping a few more clean sheets. Add in the fact we have Darren Bent for a whole season and that we have creative players like N'Zogbia, Bannan and Ireland in the squad there's no reason why we can't finish top half. Remember, 9th last season was a serious underachievement for that squad. They should have been top 6 minimum.

 We are a little bit weaker now but every bit as good as the Fulhams, Sunderlands, Boltons, Evertons who will be in the chasing pack of 7th to 12th.

[Concrete John]

so a weaker squad than we had last season is going to finish higher? we are set up for another few end of season months of drama, i think the bottom 10 places will be as fiercely contested as last season and we will be in that contest

That squad for 2010/2011 underachieved and had a great number of inujuries.  Should this one play to it's potential and not have that awful injury record, then it CAN finish higher.

[Merv]

My worry is, John, that we don't even need an awful injury list this season. Four or five players out for various reasons at any one time (rather than the 10-11 we had at stages last season) and this squad will be seriously exposed. I think, for that reason, we'll struggle to match 9th again. I'm sticking to a couple of places below that.

[Concrete John]

See, I don't think we're seriously shorter on numbers than last season.  Based on who we had at the end of last season, Big Brad, Ash and the wimp are replaced by Given, Ireland and N'Zogbia.  NRC is the only player we're truely lacking a replacement for.  So those 4-5 injuries shouldn't effect us anymore than they would have done last season.   

[CJ]

so a weaker squad than we had last season is going to finish higher? we are set up for another few end of season months of drama, i think the bottom 10 places will be as fiercely contested as last season and we will be in that contest

A vailid point. However, last season the new manager managed to turn one of the league's meanest defences into one of the worst, antagonised many of our senior players and insulted the club and its fans numerous times.

There seems to be an air of stability about the place now which in itself could be worth a few points as will keeping a few more clean sheets. Add in the fact we have Darren Bent for a whole season and that we have creative players like N'Zogbia, Bannan and Ireland in the squad there's no reason why we can't finish top half. Remember, 9th last season was a serious underachievement for that squad. They should have been top 6 minimum.

 We are a little bit weaker now but every bit as good as the Fulhams, Sunderlands, Boltons, Evertons who will be in the chasing pack of 7th to 12th.

Honest assessment Irish. I've highlighted the 7th-12th bit as I recall how ballistic we all went when GED said we were a 7th-12th team! Ironic that less than a year later we accept that as our place in life

[Concrete John]

I've highlighted the 7th-12th bit as I recall how ballistic we all went when GED said we were a 7th-12th team! Ironic that less than a year later we accept that as our place in life

It pissed me off at the time as we had just finished 6th three years running, which by saying what he did said he either didn't know or was totally dismissive of it.

[Merv]

See, I don't think we're seriously shorter on numbers than last season.  Based on who we had at the end of last season, Big Brad, Ash and the wimp are replaced by Given, Ireland and N'Zogbia.  NRC is the only player we're truely lacking a replacement for.  So those 4-5 injuries shouldn't effect us anymore than they would have done last season.   

When you put it like that, it's true - minus the starting RB in Walker. I guess the difference is that we closed the season with a largely fit and settled team - it was Oct-Jan when injuries were starting to bite; we had a larger squad then and suffered.
Again, fit and settled, and we can compete. But I don't feel comfortable with the depth of the squad and I worry it'll hurt us at some point. Eg: Collins was a doubt ahead of Fulham; had he not made it, we'd have had Dunne-Clark (fine) with no-one on the bench to cover CB. Baker having been away on international duty. I suppose it would have been Beye.

I wish I shared your confidence in the squad, John! I just remember the injury-prone defence last season and the problems that really gave us.

[SoccerHQ]

9th or 10th again I think.

That said last time I looked Everton haven't signed anyone and already have injuries to key players like Arteta and Coleman so not sure why in the media they're not getting squad crisis headlines as at least we've signed a good keeper and wide player.

[Risso]

9th or 10th again I think.

That said last time I looked Everton haven't signed anyone and already have injuries to key players like Arteta and Coleman so not sure why in the media they're not getting squad crisis headlines as at least we've signed a good keeper and wide player.

The players we've signed our replacements.  They haven't sold anybody of note unlike us.

[Chris Smith]

Everyone still haven't replaced Piennar.

[pauliewalnuts]

Everyone still haven't replaced Piennar.

I read that in a rastamouse voice.

[SoccerHQ]

9th or 10th again I think.

That said last time I looked Everton haven't signed anyone and already have injuries to key players like Arteta and Coleman so not sure why in the media they're not getting squad crisis headlines as at least we've signed a good keeper and wide player.

The players we've signed our replacements.  They haven't sold anybody of note unlike us.

Did you miss them being in the bottom half for most of last season like us?

Their first 11 isn't that great anymore.

[hawkeye]

my worry is the defence and a lack of a defensive midfielder, Collins is a panic waiting to happen and Dunne is over the hill and there is no protection in front of them, we will concede goals even though i think Given is an improvement on Freidel. If Bent does not score who will?
The current squad is mid table but there are quite a few mid table squads out there.

[SoccerHQ]

9th or 10th again I think.

That said last time I looked Everton haven't signed anyone and already have injuries to key players like Arteta and Coleman so not sure why in the media they're not getting squad crisis headlines as at least we've signed a good keeper and wide player.

The players we've signed our replacements.  They haven't sold anybody of note unlike us.

How do you think Everton will get on now the shite has all come out abouth there being no money Risso?